Development, Initial Evaluation and Association of Storage Root Yield and
Anthocyanin in Sweet Potato Genotypes
Nic Oswald M. Borines1,2,* and Antonio G. Lalusin1
1Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Food Science, University of the Philippines Los
Baños (UPLB), 4031, Laguna, Philippines; 2College of Agriculture and Agri-Industries, Caraga State
University (CSU), Butuan, 8600, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines.
*Corresponding author, nmborines@carsu.edu.ph
Abstract
Purple sweet potato cultivars contain anthocyanin pigments, a compound which has several anti-
ageing effects. Despite its usefulness, breeding of purple sweet potato lags in quantity compared
to non-purple-fleshed cultivars. One assumption is that anthocyanin pigment is an obstacle to
starch production in storage roots, affecting its yield. Yet, it is desirable to develop a high-yielding
(elite) genotype with high storage root anthocyanin concentration. Five sweet potato genotypes:
three non-elite purple, one elite non-purple, and one primitive purple accession were intercrossed
in a reciprocal manner. A total of 73 new genotypes were generated. The progenies were initially
evaluated for storage root yield and anthocyanin content. Preliminary yield trial (WS) revealed 17
progenies with higher/comparable yield to the highest yielding parent. Five progenies have
higher/comparable total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) than the high-performing purple parent.
Among the progenies evaluated, only G23, a cross between P1 (Mariñas) and P3 (SG-10-85-02)
satisfied the two criteria and was identified as the best genotype. Correlation analyses suggest a
weak linear relationship between storage root anthocyanin content and yield. However,
regression analysis revealed a negative association between two traits.
Keywords: anthocyanin, crossing, evaluation, genotype, storage root, sweet potato
Vol 46 - 1 April 2021